Stupid Question.....only use blocks under 1 wheel?

[chris199]

Was out camping this weekend. Asked to stay till 4 pm sice we lived close. Finally had an opportunity to watch another couple hitch up. Usually we are the watched for whatever reason.

Anyway....noticed they only rolled one wheel up on a block and not both wheels on one side.

Is this a problem? Good shortcut? We always put both wheels up on blocks to level out.

[f6bits]

I only do that if I need to “average” the heights. I use ¾” planks, so I sometimes have two under one wheel and one under the other. Best practice is to equally load all wheels, so offloading one wheel by substantially raising its neighbor isn’t a good idea.

[smiller]

It may not do any harm, hard to predict for sure, but I agree that best practice is to raise both wheels equally. Which is why you will see the other 99% of the people you watch do it that way.

[Cool Canuck]

Originally Posted by chris199

Was out camping this weekend. Asked to stay till 4 pm sice we lived close. Finally had an opportunity to watch another couple hitch up. Usually we are the watched for whatever reason.

Anyway....noticed they only rolled one wheel up on a block and not both wheels on one side.

Is this a problem? Good shortcut? We always put both wheels up on blocks to level out.

If you have the standard tandem spring undercarriage this is not a problem, but why do it?? Quite simple. If you have 2" boards and only need 1" to level, putting the board under one wheel only will give you half the rise of the board. Same holds true for triple axle except you get one third of the rise.

[hankpage]

Raising only one wheel can overload that axle. If you run one wheel up onto two 2x8s (that's only 3" thick) you can raise the other axle high enough to change the tire. I'm not sure if spread axles are effected this way but it is not a good practice. JM2¢, Hank

[Cool Canuck]

Originally Posted by hankpage

Raising only one wheel can overload that axle. If you run one wheel up onto two 2x8s (that's only 3" thick) you can raise the other axle high enough to change the tire. I'm not sure if spread axles are effected this way but it is not a good practice. JM2¢, Hank

That is nonsense!

Moderator's Note:
You may not agree with Hank's 2 cents worth but your comment is inappropriate.

[christopherglenn]

The equalizers will prevent overloading one axle by raising the other axle to a point, shortly before you lift a tire off the ground you will have maxxed out the equalizer, and start transfering much more weight from the lower tire to the higher tire. I park on 2x8's, and use whatever is needed to level side to side. With 3 axles, I am raising the trailer 1/2 inch per board.

[chuck&gail]

IMHO the equalizers will NOT even out the load. In fact on our current TT, and last TT, one wheel weighed 20% different from the other three on level ground. Talking to folks who do 4-wheel weighing of RV's for a living I was told that is quite common. Since it doesn't work on level ground, I doubt it works when you put only one wheel up on blocks.

Personally I put both wheels up on the same number of Lynx Leveler blocks, with a Rotochok between them, so I'm within 1" side to side.

[jsmith948]

IMHO & FWIW: The equalizers are meant to allow multiple (tandem & tridem) axles to articulate so that driving over uneven surfaces (such as breaks in curbs for driveways and speed bumps and rain gutters and potholes and etc.) does not result in all of the weight being born by one axle and the other axle(s) being lifted off of the road surface while driving. I have to agree that habitually blocking one wheel will result in overloading the other axle and eventually weakening that spring. Why not block both axles, just to be safe?

[hankpage]

Thanks Festus2, but Cool Canuck is entitled to his opinion. I have used this method to change tires a few times and find it to be to safest way to quickly change a flat on the side of the road. Especially on dirt or grass. Don't knock it till you've tried it, Hank

[f6bits]

I couldn’t figure out which part of your post that Cool Canuck thought was nonsense: the overload, or the change-a-flat.

[Cool Canuck]

Seems I've got someones attention.

Moderator's Note:
You may not agree with Hank's 2 cents worth but your comment is inappropriate.

Well let's see.
First comes the statement

Raising only one wheel can overload that axle.

The OP asked why someone would put a board under one wheel only. I explained the reason I do it, which amounts to 1 or 2 inches. Someone please show me were it says that raising one wheel 1, 2 or even 3 inches higher that the other overloads anything. I mean facts from the manufacture or other reliable source. Not that "someone" said stuff. I'm familiar with Dexter Axles' site and have never seen anything there. I've gone through my owners manuals and nothing there. So show me. I park my trailer for 5 months of the year and I may have one more board under one wheel for that length of time. I have never notice anything detrimental but would like to know.

Then the statement

If you run one wheel up onto two 2x8s (that's only 3" thick) you can raise the other axle high enough to change the tire. I'm not sure if spread axles are effected this way but it is not a good practice. JM2¢, Hank

My axles are 33" centers. Here are pictures of one tire up on two 2xs. The other tire is firmly planted on the ground. And I do mean firmly.

I have used this method to change tires a few times and find it to be to safest way to quickly change a flat on the side of the road. Especially on dirt or grass. Don't knock it till you've tried it

3 inches wouldn't do it with my Everest and I'm from Missouri with your Cougar as well.

The internet is a great source of information, unfortunately, a lot is not accurate and if it is said often enough or even just written, it becomes fact. Not to pick on anyone, but I call em as I see em. Show me otherwise and we'll all be better for it.

Al

[hankpage]

A picture is worth a thousand words. Although I would be willing to bet that there is twice the weight on that raised axle. It does work on my Cougar and it worked on my previous Layton ... of course neither weighs anything close to your Everest. I'm not going to hitch up my trailer just to prove a point but I think

THE GIRLS

will demonstrate that it can be done. (Granted the block they used was well over three inches but it did sink quite a ways into the grass. The reason I use 2x8s) Try adding one more 2x and I think it is still safer than jacking on the grass or dirt shoulder of a highway. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Have a great day and travel safely, Hank ....... This one is three 2xs thick and the other axle is completely clear of the ground. And again all the weight is on the raised wheel ...... not good for extended periods of time.

[CWtheMan]

We have often place a board - various sizes - under a single tire position when just spending a night and not disconnection the TV. We do it to get as level as possible.

CW

[JRTJH]

Tractor Supply has a ramp specifically designed to lift one tire off the ground to change tires. The link is:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/advante...l-lift-1170010

I've got an older version of this ramp, it's about 24" long, 6" wide and about 6.5" high. So, four 2x8's would pretty much provide the same lift. (1.5" x 4 = 6")
So, when I run my trailer up on the ramp, the other tandem tire is completely off the ground. Unless there's some "magical force" I can't see, on that side of the trailer the tire sitting in the ramp is supporting the entire side of the trailer. Since I don't believe in "magic", that means one of my 3500 lb axles and a tire rated at 1850 lbs max load are supporting what two of them are designed to support. ie: overloaded axle on that side. While I don't believe any significant damage would be done changing a tire or repacking a wheel bearing, I'd certainly hesitate to leave my trailer supported by one axle for any significant amount of time. With all the recent talk on this forum about overloaded tires and tire damage, I don't think anyone could say that the tire is not overloaded when supporting the RV on one axle. Certainly I'd not want to store it that way or even stay in it overnight that way. Maybe I value my investment more than others, or maybe I just don't want to abuse my RV (my choice of words, maybe not what someone else would consider "abuse").

[Cool Canuck]

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying you can't pick the second tire off the ground. I'm expressing doubt doing it with 3 inches. Weight has little to do with it. It all depends on your suspensions equalizer. christopherglenn pointed this out earlier. The second tire won't lift until the equalizer 'bottoms out'. And yes, when this happens, it stresses the undercarriage. My preference is a 20 ton bottle jack for that reason. I don't like jamming my equalizers up like that. Pouring rain, well that might be another story.

This has gotten off the topic of placing A board under one wheel, so I'm out of here feeling confident that my axle will not be overloaded if I stick an extra board under one wheel. And for those taking a couple of 2xs to change tires, throw a couple of extras in. Just in case.

[therink]

Originally Posted by hankpage

Thanks Festus2, but Cool Canuck is entitled to his opinion. I have used this method to change tires a few times and find it to be to safest way to quickly change a flat on the side of the road. Especially on dirt or grass. Don't knock it till you've tried it, Hank

X2- works like a charm. Steve

[azlee56]

I think I will just call roadside assistance and let them deal with changing the tire.

[Big Boy w/ Big Toys]

Originally Posted by Cool Canuck

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying you can't pick the second tire off the ground. I'm expressing doubt doing it with 3 inches. Weight has little to do with it. It all depends on your suspensions equalizer. christopherglenn pointed this out earlier. The second tire won't lift until the equalizer 'bottoms out'. And yes, when this happens, it stresses the undercarriage. My preference is a 20 ton bottle jack for that reason. I don't like jamming my equalizers up like that. Pouring rain, well that might be another story.

This has gotten off the topic of placing A board under one wheel, so I'm out of here feeling confident that my axle will not be overloaded if I stick an extra board under one wheel. And for those taking a couple of 2xs to change tires, throw a couple of extras in. Just in case.

So where do you position that 20 ton bottle jack? Under the axle? A point on the frame? Sorry Cool Canuck you are still jamming your equalizers if are jacking from your axles tubes (your axles are actually the end pieces where your wheels attach), even using the bottle jack to a point on the frame can stress some of these new lite weight frames.

Maybe one day the Recreational vehicle industry will come into the 21st Century and put Torqflex axles under their trailers. I have two other trailers with them installed and to be honest I am already looking at getting a set for my brand new TT. Four wheel independent wheel operation makes for a better ride. You can jack from one axle as it is a solid mount to the frame, but you do need to level using all tires on that side or you can overload the axle tube.

Now I will agree with you and adding the board to the second tire to help relieve that stress is a very good idea.